Panoramic camera mount

ABSTRACT

A panoramic device includes a base member having a flat lower surface suitable to be supported by a tripod. A clamp member has a flat upper surface rotatably interconnected within a single plane of rotation with the base that includes a first rotatable knob to selectively inhibit the rotation of the clamp member with respect to the base. The flat upper surface includes a central region that is at a different elevation than another portion of the flat upper surface. The clamp includes a pair of opposed surfaces suitable to detachably secure a camera thereto. The one of the opposed surfaces is maintained in a fixed relationship with respect to the clamp member. The other one of the opposed surfaces is in a movable relationship with respect to the clamp member using a second rotatable knob. The first knob and the second knob are rotatably connected with respect to one another. The panoramic device includes a level bubble visible on an upper surface at a location exterior to the central region of the clamp.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/327,265, filed Jan. 5, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,556, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No. 60/642,045, filed Jan. 7, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a camera mount, and in particular to a camera mount suitable for taking panoramic pictures.

Aberrations and distortions occur at the edge regions of a wide-angle view of a landscape. Taking and assembling together multiple images across the view results in a panoramic that is larger than is generally available using a single shot picture. Properly aligning film strips or digital images to produce a panoramic picture can be a difficult task. This task is especially difficult if the camera is not properly centered on a rotatable mount.

A panoramic camera is disclosed in Gasso et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,111,854, that includes an adjustable lens to vary the focal length of the lenses in mathematical proportions to the varying distances of objects in the panoramic view.

Campbell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,810 disclose a motor-driven panoramic camera having automatic means for stopping the angular sweep of the camera and adjustments for changing the angle of sweep and for making the sweep symmetrical or unsymmetrical.

Blankenhorn, U.S. Pat. No. 1,282,177, discloses a system for making panoramic pictures comprising marking the film as the film is advanced and the camera rotated.

A camera mount useful for taking stereoscopic or panoramic pictures is disclosed by Ianuzzi in U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,700.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an assembly drawing of a panning clamp.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cut-away view along line C-C of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an assembled panning clamp of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of an assembled panning clamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of an assembled panning clamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates a pictorial view of an assembled panning clamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a panning assembly in a first position.

FIG. 8 illustrates a panning assembly in a second position.

FIG. 9 illustrates a panning assembly in a third position.

FIG. 10 illustrates a panning assembly in a fourth position.

FIG. 11 illustrates a panning assembly in a fifth position.

FIG. 12 illustrates a bracket.

FIG. 13 illustrates a panning assembly in a sixth position.

FIG. 14 illustrates a panning assembly in a seventh position.

FIG. 15 illustrates a panning assembly in a disassembled arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For a vertical column of overlapping images, a panning clamp should have a vertical orientation. One technique to achieve this orientation is to mount a panning clamp on top of a tripod head or otherwise directly to a tripod. To more effectively use the panning clamp, the camera and lens should be mounted so that the camera and lens pivot around the nodal point or the entrance pupil. In most cases, this involves the camera and lens being backed off from the typical tripod mounting point so that the entrance pupil is located at the pivot point.

Referring to FIG. 1, a panning clamp 10 includes a clamp body 12 and a clamp jaw 14. The clamp jaw 14 is engaged with the body 12 by a pair of clamp springs 34. The springs 34 exert an outwardly directed force on the clamp jaw 14. The clamp jaw 14 is secured in place by the combination of a clamp screw 16, a clamp sleeve 28 surrounding the clamp screw 16, a clamp knob 18, and a screw 32. The clamp sleeve 28 sets the spacing for the clamp knob 18 and presses against the exterior of the clamp jaw 14. As the clamp knob 18 is released the clamp jaw 14 will be pressed outwardly thereby opening the clamp and keeping the clamp jaw 14 in tension to maintain it in a suitable position. As the clamp knob 18 is tightened, the clamp jaw 14 will be pressed inwardly thereby closing the clamp and securing any plate or other imaging equipment (e.g., camera, video camera, etc.) therein. A plug 22 may be secured over the opening in the body 12. A plastic cover 38 may be secured over the end of the clamp knob 18.

In order to ensure that the top surface of the panning clamp 10 is level, a bubble level 36 may be included. The top of the bubble level 36 is preferably approximately flush with the upper surface of the panning clamp 10. With the panning clamp 10 attached to a support, such as a ball head, the panning clamp 10 is brought into a level position so that upon rotation an accurate set of panoramic images may be obtained.

A panning base 20 includes a recess therein into which supports a cinching ring 26. The cinching ring 26 may be secured to the panning base 20 by securing pins through a pair of openings 50 in the cinching ring 26 and a matching pair of openings 52 in the panning base 20. A cinching knob 30 attached to a stud 42 is engaged with a threaded gap 45 in the cinching ring 26. A retaining member 24 is secured to the plug 22 in such a manner to maintain the panning base and the body 12 together with the desired ability to freely rotate.

Referring also to FIG. 2, which is a section along line C-C of FIG. 3, the cinching ring 26 surrounds a lower portion 54 of the clamp body 14. When the user desires to permit free rotational motion of the clamp body 12 with respect to the panning base 20, the cinching knob 30 is released, which releases the cinching ring 26. When the user desires to inhibit free rotational motion of the clamp body 12 with respect to the panning base 20, the cinching knob 30 is tightened, which decreases the diameter of the cinching ring 26. The decreased diameter of the cinching ring 26 results in significant frictional engagement between the cinching ring 26 and the lower portion 54 of the clamp body 12. The cinching ring 26 and the lower portion 54 preferably have mating surfaces along 50% or more, 75% or more, or 90% or more of the circumference of the surfaces. This results in selective rotational movement of the panning clamp 10.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view with the clamp jaw 14 extended by the springs 34. With the clamp jaw 14 retracted, a plate or other member may be readily inserted within the panning clamp 10. With the clamp jaw 14 engaged, the plate or other member is securely held in place within the panning clamp 10. FIG. 5 illustrates the base of the panning clamp 10 with a pair of threaded openings 70 and 72 suitable for securing the panning clamp 10 to a plate or other member. Also, the central opening 74 may be used to secure the panning clamp 10 to a plate or other member. FIG. 6 illustrates a pictorial view of an assembled panning clamp 10.

The panning clamp 10 itself preferably only includes the ability for rotational movement, and not the ability to rotate, in order to ensure accurate panning. It is to be understood that the rotational movement preferably has some reasonable amount of friction at all times so that the panning clamp 10 does not rotate without some reasonable pressure being exerted. In this manner, even without the panning function being locked the panning clamp 10 will not tend to rotate without the user's turning of the clamp body 14. In addition, the panning clamp 10 should have a height that is less than 50% of the diameter of the panning clamp 10.

Referring to FIG. 7, a camera 110 may be supported by the panning clamp 10. The panning clamp 10 permits selective rotational movement of the camera 110. The panning clamp 10 is supported by a bracket 100. The bracket 100 is supported at a 90 degree (or substantially 90 degrees) angle with respect to a bracket 104 by an “L” shaped bracket 102. The bracket 104 is detachable engageable to a clamp 106 supported by a ball head 108. FIGS. 8, 9, 10, and 11 illustrate other orientations for the camera 110.

Referring to FIG. 12, the bracket 100 may include a clamp mechanism 125 at one end thereof along with a notch 127 along both of its sides. Other types of brackets may likewise be used, as desired. Referring to FIG. 13, the camera, bracket, and panning clamp illustrate the proper positioning of the camera in a vertical position with respect to axis of rotation of the panning clamp. Referring to FIG. 14, the camera, bracket, and panning clamp illustrate the proper positioning of the camera in a horizontal position with respect to axis of rotation of the panning clamp. Referring to FIG. 15, a compact assembly may include a pair of brackets 100, 104, an “L” shaped bracket 102, and a panning clamp 10, all arranged in a stacked manner so that they are readily stored in a rectangular pouch 133.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow. 

1. A panoramic device comprising: (a) a base having a lower first surface suitable to be supported by a tripod and a second surface; (b) a first clamp member having an upper surface and secured to said base for rotation within a single plane of rotation with respect to said second surface of said base, said upper surface including a central region at a different elevation than another substantially parallel portion of said upper surface, said central region and said another portion connected by a first opposing surface; (c) a second clamp member including a second opposing surface; (d) a first knob rotatably engaged with said first clamp member, said first knob rotatable to selectively move said second opposing surface farther from said first opposing surface and rotatable to selectively move said second opposing surface nearer said first opposing surface to secure an object between said first opposing surface and said second opposing surface; and (e) a second knob rotatable with respect to said base to selectively inhibit rotation of said first clamp member with respect to said base, said first clamp member and said second clamp member not releasable from said base by movement of said second knob.
 2. The panoramic device of claim 1 further including a bias mechanism that biases said second opposing surface to move further from said first opposing surface.
 3. The panoramic device of claim 2 wherein said bias mechanism includes at least one spring.
 4. The panoramic device of claim 2 wherein said bias mechanism includes at least two springs.
 5. The panoramic device of claim 1 wherein said first knob comprises a screw in engagement with one of said first clamp member and said second clamp member.
 6. The panoramic device of claim 5 wherein said screw passes through a portion of said second clamp member.
 7. The panoramic device of claim 6 further comprising a sleeve surrounding a portion of said screw.
 8. The panoramic device of claim 7 including a clamp knob attached to said screw.
 9. The panoramic device of claim 1 further comprising a level bubble visible from a point spaced apart and substantially normal to said upper surface of said first clamp member.
 10. The panoramic device of claim 9 wherein said level bubble is approximately flush with the said upper surface of said first clamp member.
 11. The panoramic device of claim 1 further comprising a ring, at least partially circular, maintained between said base and said first clamp member.
 12. The panoramic device of claim 11 wherein said ring is attached to at least one of said base and said first clamp member.
 13. The panoramic device of claim 12 wherein a securement member selectively maintains in a fixed rotational position of said base member and said first clamp member by pressing engagement with said ring.
 14. The panoramic device of claim 13 wherein said pressing engagement includes 50% of a surface of said ring.
 15. The panoramic device of claim 14 wherein said pressing engagement includes 75% of a surface of said ring.
 16. The panoramic device of claim 13 wherein said pressing engagement includes 90% of a surface of said ring. 